Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Far superior to the competiton - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jon Dillingham - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This is an outstanding vehicle Ive really loved mine. It is a bit marginal on power but even saying that it is far far superior to the competion which is dismal to marginally adequate at best. I glad I own mine, a few little things have gone wrong but I jsut have good things to say about it I wish my lease wasnt up

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  Awesome Islander Car - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By PinaoHawaii - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I have the 2 door, 4WD convertible, and it is fun to drive. Of course it is a bit noisy, but it is a convertible. I see some people complain about the quality on this website, but even after being shipped to Hawaii, there was not a single minor defect. I have about 750 miles on it so far, and not a rattle or squeak-it runs perfectly so far, and I get 24 mpg in town, even with limited use of AC. Being in Hawaii, there is no need for a heater or defroster, but the base model I got came with an airconditioner that is not really needed in a convertible I often rent Jeep Wranglers for work, and they are nowhere as practical

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  I LOVE THIS CAR!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By TLC - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I turned in my 1999 Grand Prix at lease end and thought I wanted another one, but since they no longer make the 2-door model I decided to purchase the Monte Carlo...and Im glad I did! I love this car! I went with the SS model with the High Sport Appearance package...it is basically loaded except for the satellite radio (which I dont need anyway)...it is an absolutely beautiful car...Ive caught many people staring!...including myself!!! I cant wait for the nice warm weather to come back again so I can really show it off!

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  2003 Z06 - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chiwei - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This car handles well and the Z06 exhaust sounds so good. I just recently installed Philips HID 6000k kit and changed the oil. Its the best value and the design of the engine allows for easy access. That means when the car needs some repair work, itll be easy to work on and costs less.

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  Silverado Ranch - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Wally Leimgruber - March 22 - 8:26 am

  For those of us who waited, you are drving one of the safest trucks ever built. GM has spent a lot of time in development and research to come up with their best truck ever. You have safety features that are standard equipment, which the insurance industry will soon require, on all new vehicles. All of the controls are layed out in a user-friendly fashion. This takes the guess work out of how does this dash work. You will have a comfortable ride, as well as plenty of room to haul your days work, wherever you go, whether to town or on the ranch.

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  Problems with knocking when turning left - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By lovetodrive - March 22 - 2:00 am

  I too have had the knocking sound/feel when turning left. This was at about 35000 miles. I believe the wording of the problem involved the intermediate steering shaft?? Also before that I had problems with the turn signals not working all the time. It took two trips to the dealer to fix that. If it were not for the mechanical problems, I would keep this car forever. I love the overall car. The ride and the handling is great. I am getting 27 mpg which is outstanding for the size of the engine.

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  Z24 - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By marlon - March 22 - 2:00 am

  The car rocks !!!

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  Great Van - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By Backintime - March 22 - 2:00 am

  This is a great van. Its Tall and have lot of space and great cargo area. Rear seat dont reclined and they are very heavy and difficult to remove. I wish it did have a rear stereo and TV to keep the kids busy.

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  Astro Review - 2002 Chevrolet Astro
  By Houstonastro - March 22 - 2:00 am

  I found this vechicle to be very reliable. After 2 years of service, only the original battery has failed. For my purpose it has served me well in hauling boy scouts for campouts as well as family vacations. I selected the Astro van over other mini-vans because it is on a truck frame, the usable interior space & seating, and the superior gas milage compared to SUVs with comparable interior space.

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  RED VETTE - 1991 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JBC - March 22 - 2:00 am

  DELIGHTFUL DRIVE AND FUEL ECONOMY FOR A 250 HP SPORTS CAR. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (3) TOTALLING $2000 OVER PAST FOUR YEARS.